The Meaning of the Lotus Flower
by CallMeSoldier
Summary: Kanda is sent on a mission in the future with his comrades, and has to guard none other than Harry Potter himself. With his curse hanging over his head, he is thrust into the dangers of the wizarding world head first. Will he come out unscathed? Or will he change his ways completely? It's up to him to keep Harry safe. Can he? Yullen. Set in GoF Before they find out his curse.
1. Chapter One

Chapter One: The Future

"You stupid Moyashi!" Kanda growled, drawing Mugen and pointing it to the boy's throat.

Allen gulped, moving his cursed finger to the blade and pushing it to the side gently, his eyes becoming focused again because the sword was no longer in between his eyes. He glared at Kanda, baring his teeth in a snarl.

"My name is not Moyashi! It's ALLEN! Get it right, BaKanda!"

Not even thinking about his sword, Kanda pulled his fist back and punched the wall, right where Allen's head was two seconds prior. Kanda growled and grabbed his sword again, spinning around to find where he had escaped to. "I'll kill you Moyashi! Get over here now!"

"You're going to have to catch me first!" came his muted reply from down the hallway. It was just another one of those stupid arguments that ended up violent. Though it isn't that unnatural around the Order.

Kanda growled and stalked off, going to his room and firmly shutting his door behind him, locking it, and stalking to the small table in the middle of the room with his lotus flower hour glass on top of it. He sat down at the seat and glared at the flower, his eyes becoming visually softer as he felt the flower's eerie presence in his heart.

"I wish I could throw you away," he growled to himself. "Burn you, smash you, whatever, as long as I don't have to look at you again…"

He sighed.

"But I can't do that." Leaning back, Kanda closed his eyes. Opening them once more a moment later, he lifted his hand to gently rub against the glass, staring at the two petals on the bottom of it. Just as he pulled his hand back, another petal fell softly, falling like a feather and landing on the bottom without a single sound.

Kanda sighed.

.

.

Standing in the Sister-Complex's destroyed office, Kanda scoffed at him. _Magic? What fresh hell was this?_ Glaring at the Sister-Complex, Kanda turned on his heel, his long, black locks swishing behind him, and left the office, only to be stopped by the damn moyashi bumping into him.

Growling, Kanda reached for Mugen, only to be cut off by Lenalee hitting him upside the head with a clipboard, barely getting a glimpse of her face before the force of the hit turned his head. The stinging, accompanied by the moyashi's laughter, almost made him flip his lid.

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, stalking off. Faintly, he heard the moyashi asked the girl,

"What's gotten his underwear in a bunch?"

Gritting his teeth, Kanda stalked down the hallways, scaring the wits out of some Finder's, even making one of them pee his pants. When he made it to the safety of his room, Kanda quickly stripped of his clothes, setting Mugen in its sheath onto his bed, and stepped into his shower. He turned it on hot, almost morbid, and sighed when the spray gently pounded onto his back.

Taking his hair out of its pony-tail before it got too wet, he ran his fingers through it, getting out the tangles, and poured shampoo on the top of his head. He massaged his scalp, the movements tender and relaxing. This was the only time—other than nighttime—he was completely alone, and he wanted to relish in it.

This was when he didn't have to think about that damned flower, his curse, or the stupid Moyashi. This was the only time he got relief from all of his thoughts. He also thought it was pitiful and embarrassing that this relief was from a simple shower. His pride was nagging at him.

Ignoring that awful voice in the back of his head, Kanda thought about what Komui said earlier. Magic. According to him, Kanda was going to go no matter what. But for a completely different reason than the Moyashi and the idiot rabbit. Kanda was to go because he had to be a body guard for a stupid little brat called Harry Potter. As if his name wasn't stupid enough, he found out that the stupid brat had a curse as well. According to Komui, that's why Kanda was 'just absolutely _perfect_ for the job!'

Then the most mind blowing and incredulity part of the mission was revealed. They were to go to the future. Kanda snorted at the thought, closing his eyes as he let the water cascade down around him. _Time traveling. What a stupid notion. I think the stupid Sister-Complex drank too much coffee this morning._

Sighing again, Kanda turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, steam following in his wake. Just as he finished slipping on the last of his clothing—his cloak—a knock resounded from the door of his room. Scowling at it in irritation, he grabbed Mugen and opened it, glaring down at the person brave and stupid enough to knock on his door.

The Finder shook as he stared up at Kanda. "I-I'm here to inform you that Komui wants you in his office. He said togettherestraightaway!" he finished off in a hurry, running down the hallway to avoid the deathly aura that came from the samurai.

Stalking off down the halls to Komui's office, Kanda thought of all the ways he could kill the stupid Sister-Complex. **(A/N: Ha, Kanda really likes the word 'stupid'. Have you noticed?)** They all didn't seem good enough for him, though. What a shame. He would've liked to try them.

Walking into his office, he saw the Moyashi and the rabbit sitting down on the messy couch. Growling, he stood against the wall, playing with the hilt of Mugen. The Moyashi glared daggers at him and he ignored him, instead choosing to "tch" at the stupid Sister-Complex, wanting him to get on with it.

Komui sat up with a very serious attitude, almost unnatural, and said, "Good. Now that we're all here, let's get down with business. Kanda, I already informed you on what your mission is, and I have just finished here with Lavi and Allen. Well, the only problem is getting to the future." Clearing his throat at the glare sent his way by Kanda, he continued, "It's to my belief that the man requesting our assistance will be able to bring only one of us at a time. Normally, I would've made Allen go first, but since he can die, I don't think that would be a good idea."

By this, all heads swiveled to look at the brooding samurai. He growled at them and they turned their heads back to Komui, disbelief etched across their faces. Kanda knew what they were thinking. '_Kanda? _He's going to send _Kanda_ first?' But that was perfectly fine with him. He was glad, actually. He going first meant he could cause bodily harm to the person that actually requested their help in the first place.

"Kanda? Will you please step to the middle of the room?" Komui asked politely, staring at him expectantly. Kanda grudgingly obliged, glaring at the ground. "Right there, that's good. Now, any minute—"

He was cut off by a glowing bright light surrounding the samurai. The other two Exorcists gasped, while Komui grinned, knowing what was to happen. Kanda, startled, grabbed the hilt of his sword, not drawing it, but looking ready to do so.

After a few seconds of blinding white light, it suddenly vanished, along with the samurai. Startled and a little freaked out, Allen and Lavi stared at the swirling papers left in his wake. They glanced at each other, then at the spot the man was a few seconds ago, worried for their friend.

.

.

After feeling like he was being crushed and shot with a few akuma bullets, Kanda landed on the ground with a thud of his feet, a hand on his mouth and the other on his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Opening his eyes, Kanda stared at the man in front of him. He was in a crowded room, around fifteen to twenty people staring at him in awe, and an old man with weird robes on who looked at him with a kindness that made him sick. He stood, forcing down his nausea. Taking in the old man standing away from the big group, he assumed that he was the one who brought him here and asked for his assistance.

"Are you the bastard that brought me from my time?" Kanda spat, glaring at the man. The others gasped, like he was an animal that talked. Though he wouldn't be surprised, considering he was in the future.

The man, though, he just chuckled warmly. "I assume that you are the artificial one? Yes, I was warned about your temper." The rest of the Order looked on in confusion, not knowing what 'artificial' meant.

Kanda growled and muttered under his breath about the "stupid Sister-Complex", bemusing the old man. Though technically, Kanda was older, considering that he was from the past.

"How far in the future am I?" He couldn't help it; curiosity got the best of him. He even forgot to add the hostility in his hopes for the answer.

"We are in the year 1995. So about four-hundred years, give or take," came the instant reply. Satisfied, Kanda nodded. "Might I know your name, sir?"

"Kanda," he said shortly, going back to being unreceptive.

"It's nice to meet you, Kanda. I am Albus Dumbledore." Kanda stared at the hand held out to him, an eyebrow raised. Retracting his hand after a moment, Dumbledore simply smiled at him, though his eyes seemed to dim a little. He swept his arm out to the rest of the Order, saying, "This group here is called the Order of Phoenix. I'm assuming you know what magic is?"

"Yes," came the gruff reply.

"Do you know of the war that is going on now?"

"Yes. I have to protect a little brat called Harry Potter against these 'evil' wizards. Can we get on with this? Get the stupid Moyashi and rabbit over here so I don't have to keep talking."

Harry looked stunned, as well as the rest of the Order. Harry was being guarded by _him?_ The one with the bad temper and the long sword attached to his side? Harry wasn't sure who would kill him first. Voldemort or his new bodyguard. Just great.

"Ah yes, your comrades. Why don't you step away from there so I can get them?" Dumbledore asked nicely, watching with amusement as the younger man moved aside. Closing his eyes and pointing his wand where Kanda was standing mere moments ago, the rest of the Order watched as he performed the very spell that brought him here.

After a couple of moments, the bright light vanished, leaving a young boy in the same state as Kanda had been in when he first arrived. This boy had red hair that outmatched the Weasly's, with a bandana holding it away from his face. An eye-patch covered his right eye, and the left eye was closed in his moment of nausea. Opening it after a while, Lavi saw Kanda standing off a little way's, and he grinned at the man.

Turning, Lavi took note of every detail with clear precision in his one good eye, the green coloring sparkling with a mischievous glint to it. The Weasly twins immediately took a liking to him. Standing up, the red haired man addressed the sullen Kanda with a cheery smile on his face. "So I see you haven't killed anyone yet, that's good. Though I must say, I _am_ a bit surprised at your restraint this time, Yuu-chan!"

Then, so fast that none of the Order even saw it being un-sheathed, the sword's tip was touching the red haired man's throat, piercing it and drawing a little blood. Lavi almost gulped, but he knew that would result in more pain in blood, so he just whispered, "I'm sorry. I won't call you that any more."

Slowly, the sword was being pulled away, and Lavi allowed himself to breathe a little easier. When Mugen was completely sheathed did everyone in the room relax. Turning, the red haired man glanced up at the powerful aura that filled he room, bowing his head slightly in a sign of respect.

"I'm assuming you are Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, one-hundred and four years of age. I don't have a name, but all of my friends," this is when the man shot a glare at the black, long haired man, "call me Lavi. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he finished off with a grin, getting a pleased smile in return.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Lavi. I must say I am surprised. How did you know who I am?"

"Oh, that's easy. I found access to all of Komui's files and paper's, read them all, and found information about you and the wizarding world. Though I'm surprised we _did_ get sent through time. Tell me—"

He got cut off by Kanda. "Can it. Now will you bring the stupid Moyashi over here? I want to go to sleep."

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Or did you not get enough soba, Yuu-chan?" the red-head teased, easily ducking the swing of his sword at his head.

"Please, if you could stand back, I shall get your last comrade," Dumbledore cut in, before that spout could get any worse.

The same process happened, leaving Allen in its wake. The Order gasped simultaneously – even Dumbledore seemed a bit shocked, at the boy's cursed scar and pure white hair. This boy stood up with difficulty, spotting his partners off to the side, and smiled at them. "Lavi, Yuu."

He got a grin from the read-head and a nod from the samurai, which made the Order pause a little. When Lavi said that to him, Kanda nearly ripped the guy in half, but when the white haired boy said it, he got a nod? The Order looked at the boy with a new respect, even if they didn't know him.

Even Allen seemed a bit shocked. It seemed Kanda was relieved he was there, but he wasn't sure why. Turning, Allen took in all of the people surrounding him, then at the man that seemed to be running things. He bowed low, greeting the man. "My name is Allen Walker. You are the one who summoned us, am I correct?"

"That is correct. Do you have your mission?"

"Yes."

"Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Albus Dumbledore. I take it you are the leader of this mission?"

"Affirmative. Thank you, sir, for giving us this opportunity that no other Exorcist has had before." Allen stuck his hand out for Dumbledore to shake.

"It was no problem. Now we must set to work."

.

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**Okay, I think that went well, no? It's currently 5:20 AM, and I'm about to fall asleep. Hope you liked it, and REVIEW PLEASE! They make me update faster. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hiya guys! Soldier here! :D Ha. Well, I just wanted to say, thanks for the support. I made sure to get this chappie in early, because I'm going camping for a few days. Also, this isn't an AreKan story, sorry. I had a few questions as to what that was, and I got my answers. AND, if some information in this chapter is wrong, my sincere apologies. I'm not super far into the -Man series, and nothing has yet to come up about Kanda's past or the supposed 'curse' from the flower. If I get something wrong, please tell me! Then I can fix it and it won't bother anyone anymore! :D Thanks for all the reviews, and as promised, here's the next chapter!**

Chapter Two: The Flower

"Please, if you would follow me into the living—" Dumbledore got cut off from a bright white light surrounding the room.

When the light left, in its place was an hourglass, with what looked strangely like a lotus flower inside it. It was suspended in midair and it seemed the three people from the past were frozen in shock.

The Order was immediately on alert, and the aurors in the group lifted their wands, about to blast the thing to kingdom come. But before they could get a single word out, it started falling.

The Order watched as the angry, black haired one named Kanda moved forward to catch it, diving and capturing it in his hands right before it hit the ground. They watched the other two breathe in a sigh of relief, which left them relatively confused.

What was this strange hourglass? Why was it so important? These exact questions and many more were roaming around in the Order's heads, especially the Golden Trio's.

They watched the man cradle it in his hands gently, relief evident on his face. He was staring at the flower in shock as well. The flower only had five petals left.

"How could this happen?" he demanded of the other two. The Order was confused.

Allen kneeled down by him, making sure to not touch it. He knew Kanda would hate him touching it. "Could it be because you traveled to the future? If this happened, then I don't think I want to know what happens when you travel back."

"I want to know how it followed you," Lavi stated. Allen shrugged back at him. That was just one of the many mysteries that went along with Kanda. He was intrigued.

He watched as Kanda's hands tightened on it, an obvious impression that he was upset. He put a hand on the samurai's shoulder, intending to comfort him as much as he could. What really surprised him was that he didn't shake his hand off. "Maybe," he said, hoping the samurai would listen to the words and take them into consideration, "Maybe if you went back to the past, the petals would also reattach."

"Yeah, maybe," Kanda muttered.

"So this means you only have—how much time do you have left to live?" Lavi asked, confused about the timeline. **(A/N: Okay, since I'm not that far into -Man, I'm going to just guess about this. Also, I'll get farther on tonight, so I'm not flying this blind. I'm also not going to stay with the story line on Kanda's past. This is like, half AU; I'm just adding stuff into it. Please don't flame me!)**

Harry glanced at Hermione, making sure she caught that. When she nodded at him, he turned his attention back to the three people from the past, wanting to catch what else they said.

"I only have five years left," Kanda said, standing up and holding onto the flower dearly.

"Wait," Sirius, Harry's godfather, said. "You only have five years left to live? What, is that flower a timeline of your life?"

Kanda stiffened and glared at the man. But Sirius did not back down, he only stood straighter. "Yes," Kanda disclosed stiffly, barely getting it past his repressed lips. The Order whispered among them, finally getting one of their questions answered.

"Old man," he demanded, looking up at Dumbledore. "Can you keep this safe? If it dies, I die, then your little brat dies as well."

"When you put it like that, yes. I was going to anyway, but if you want it done immediately, I will take it and put it in one of the safest places in the world."

"And where is this safe place?"

"My school, why of course," Dumbledore said merrily, smiling down at the young man. "If it's in my office vault, no one will touch it except me, and I have no intention of touching it," he added quickly, seeing the younger man's frown. The crease between his eyes lightened, and he walked over to the older, handing him the flower gently, staring down at it with troubling eyes. "I will keep it safe. I guarantee my life."

Kanda nodded, watching as his soul disappeared with a wave of the older man's wand. "Thank you," he said after a few moments of silence. Then he turned on his heel and walked back over to his comrades, a scowl renewed on his face.

"Bipolar much," Ron muttered to Harry's left, low enough that only Harry heard it. Harry nodded once in confirmation.

"How do we know you'll protect Harry?" Mr. Weasly spoke up, his words directed at Kanda.

The red-head, Lavi, snorted, and Allen covered his mouth with his hand, concealing his mirth. Before Kanda went and killed Mr. Weasly, Lavi spoke, "Because he's Japanese, that's why."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mr. Weasly asked, confused.

Hermione answered, "Because they are very honorable. The Japanese culture makes honor to be the best out of any virtue. I imagine that Yuu is your first name, correct? The reason why he is so angry that people call him by his first name is because the only time you can is when you are very familiar and friendly with him. Therefore, I shall not call him by his first name because I do not know anything about him other than his name, appearance, and the flower." **(A/N: Sorry if I got any of the information wrong. Though I love the Japanese culture, I'm not too educated on it. I'm American, for anyone who wants to know…)**

They all stared at her, and she smiled at the man she talked about. He glared at her, making her falter for a moment, then smile again with new determination lit behind her eyes.

"Since when do you study other cultures?" Ron asked, breaking the silence.

"I've always studied other cultures. But I find the Chinese and Japanese the most interesting, so I looked into them a bit more than the others," she admitted sheepishly, her cheeks flushing as she glanced at the samurai.

Kanda was surprised, really. He didn't think anyone would understand without him explaining it, and he be damned if he needed to explain anything to anyone. Allen smiled to his left. His scowl deepened when he saw that, and then he relaxed it a bit. _I guess I shouldn't be so mad at him calling me by my first name. He _did_ save my life in Mater after all…_

He sighed, taking Allen's attention off of the girl in front of him to Kanda. This was one of those moments when he enjoyed the other's company. He admired the other, maybe liked—no. He didn't like any other guys. It's just his hormones talking. Wait, who said anything about hormones? Allen was confused. What was he talking about?

Taking his eyes off of the other, he turned his attention back to the others who were arguing among themselves. "Hey," he said softly, his voice cutting through the air like Mugen, Kanda's katana. They all stopped abruptly and turned to look at him.

"I believe we need to be briefed on what is to happen," he said. "If we could get down to business, please?"

Dumbledore smiled at the young man, his eyes twinkling brightly. "Of course. My apologies for my Order. We're very stressed right now. If you could follow me to the living room, I'd like to inform you on some things going on in the wizarding world."

**(A/N: I'm just going to skip all the explanations. We all know what the wizarding world is like, and how the Exorcists work, no? If not, then why are you reading this?)**

"So now that that is settled, would please tell me your views on how you can protect Harry and Hogwarts this year?" Dumbledore asked at the end of all of the explanations.

"I stay by the brat's side and if any threats that are related to this 'evil wizard', I obliterate them. Simple," Kanda stated, leaning back into his chair with his arms crossed.

"But what would people say about Harry having a bodyguard? Wouldn't that cause problems?" the werewolf in the Order asked.

"I'm not going into hiding, and if they want to talk smack about me, they better do it behind my back. Otherwise, I'll maim them. And I won't answer a goddamn question of theirs, so they're going to have to guess."

"BaKanda," Allen scolded, earning a glare from the samurai as he sat up, his hand on his sword hilt. "Don't look at me like that! You deserve the nickname! Plus, you don't have to be so rude. What will others say? Hm?"

"Did you not hear me, Moyashi? I don't give a damn about what others say," Kanda growled. "For all I care, they can go fuck themselves." Some of the Order gasped, and Hermione looked appalled. He raised an eyebrow at them, daring them to challenge him.

Harry was truly terrified now. He honestly didn't know if he was going to make it to his fifteenth birthday. The way the samurai was acting, it seemed like he didn't care what happened to Harry.

Harry caught the white-haired older male looking at the Japanese with a mix of emotions on his face, which made Harry wonder what the relationship was between those two. Were they friends, enemies, frienemies? He didn't know. There were so many things he didn't know, and he wanted them all to be answered. He assumed that Hermione and Ron had those same questions, so he was going to hold off on asking them until they were with him.

"I believe that can be arranged," Dumbledore said, bringing Harry back to the present.

"Thank you, sir. Now, if you'll excuse us, my fellow Exorcists and I would really like to sleep," Allen said politely, smiling at the older man. Dumbledore could see that the smile was tainted by sadness and guilt so deep it pained him to look at it.

_Whatever this young man has been through, it certainly wasn't fun. And Kanda, too. They both hold secrets so deep it makes me wonder what will happen to them when this is all over. Poor souls, may you rest in piece when the time comes._

.

.

Kanda stared up at the ceiling of his temporary room, deep in thought. He had caught the way the Moyashi stared up at him, the way his face seemed torn in confusion, admiration, and repulsion. That was one of the many times he wanted to know what went on in the boy's head.

Deciding to get some rest, Kanda turned on his side and closed his eyes, meditating until he felt sleepy, and then letting the blackness overwhelm him.

Snapping his eyes open, Kanda sat up at stared at the scene before him. Moyashi and Lavi were sitting in front of him, and they were kissing, their tongues battling for dominance. He felt jealousy rise in him like throw up, and he felt like he was to do just that. Then the bushy haired girl Hermione came in and sat on the said beside him, rubbing her hands up and down his arms. Then she morphed into Allen, and it was just his hands rubbing him.

Kanda shuddered involuntarily. Suddenly, Allen stopped, and Kanda could no longer feel his hands. Looking up, he jumped in shock. He was alone, with only his flower there. It was suspended in the air, and as he watched, the glass cracked and broke, one piece after the other falling on the floor, until it was just the flower. And the flower's petals then fell, one at a time, until there was only one left, and as that petal fell, the whole earth shook around him and he could feel a burning in his chest.

The burning was quickly accompanied by the throbbing of his heart. It slowly got faster and faster, until it suddenly stopped, leaving only blackness behind. Right before the blackness swallowed him whole, the last thing he saw was Allen, smiling that sad smile of his…

Kanda jackknifed to a sitting position, breathing erratically. The nightmares were getting worse.

**Was that a good ending to it? I think it was. Anyway, review please? Then I'll make the next chapter longer if you do! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! Okay guys, I want you to bear with me. I like to do things rather dramatically, and since this is AU, not everything will be the same as it was in the manga. Though I love Kanda's past, I'm going to alter it a little bit to my specifications. Not anything _too_ drastic, but still changes all the same. Oh! And the use of Allen's Ark will be a little different, too. But I'm not going to tell you how until the time comes. :D Well, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! :D By the way, I'm making Kanda a little OOC… Sorry, but it's necessary! You'll see why soon!**

Chapter Three: Memories

Kanda sat in the middle of his temporary room, cleaning Mugen, thoughts drifting in and out of his head. The cloth he was using was almost unnaturally soft, little tufts of fuzz nowhere to be seen. It almost unnerved him the way everything was so perfect. Stupid magic.

_Magic._ He thought the word with disgust. He knew it wasn't impossible, but it was still hard to believe. What he really thought was stupid and weak to him, though, was how much the wizards _relied_ on it. They didn't use hand to hand combat at all! Instead of getting up and retrieving things the hard way, all they did was wave around a stupid _stick_ to do their bidding.

It angered him to no end. What was the point of having magic if all they did with it was for their own personal benefits? What was the point of having it if they weren't going to do anything big with it, like saving the world from hunger or something? He didn't understand! And the more Kanda thought about it, the more angered he got.

He needed something to preoccupy his mind.

Staring down at the sword in his hand, Kanda thought back to when he first got it, from the pain and torment it used to bring him. Not because of using it, but because of the memories it brought back with it. "Stupid Alma," he muttered, unaware of the three wizards spying on him.

They were just about to leave, because he wasn't saying anything, but when those words tumbled out of his mouth, their curiosity spiked. Who was Alma? Why did Kanda speak his/her name with sorrow like that?

But he wasn't aware of present company—so unlike him—so he just stared at the sword, brow furrowed, this time not in a glare, but in concentration. It was a nice look, a lot better then the scowl he always had on his face.

Thinking of Alma just brought back memories, memories of Alma stalking him, pushing him out of the tunnel and into the canal; memories of him turning into a half akuma, a weapon he was created to destroy. And that he did.

Unaware of the tears leaking onto his face, Kanda clenched his sword tightly, cutting his skin. He wasn't aware of the gasps coming from the corner of the room. All he could do was stare at the Innocence sword, memories and thoughts running through his mind.

The wizards were unaware at the tears streaming down his face, only focused on the bleeding hand on the sword, thinking that he was doing it on purpose. Only when the man lifted his head did they see the tears, the face of anguish he made. Harry and Ron were slightly unnerved by this new face, a face they never wanted to see on this man again. Hermione just stared in awe and slight fascination, also thinking the same thing Harry and Ron were.

Kanda lifted his hand off of the sword, now aware of the stinging, accompanied by the throbbing that told him he's been wounded. He watched in silence, his face blank and impassive, as his hand healed right before his eyes. He was used to the pain, used to the feeling of his skin regenerating.

He heard the sound of the door opening and he stiffened, putting his hard glare into place. The Golden Trio were in awe at how easy it was for him to do that. Harry was envious. He wanted to be able to do that, block other people from what he was feeling.

Kanda turned to glare at the newcomer, relaxing visibly when it was just the Moyashi. When Allen saw the state of his friend, he shook his head and went over by him, kneeling in front of him and embracing him. Kanda sat still for a moment, still not quite used to physical contact like this, and then wrapped his arms around the Moyashi and buried his face into his shoulder and hair, letting the tears seep out, onto his skin.

"What was it this time?" Allen asked, still embracing his friend. He ignored the pounding of his heart, only focused on comforting Kanda.

"Alma," was the only response he got before the man's arms tightened around him. Allen responded the same, sympathy and worry coursing through his veins.

"Hm," he hummed, "Want to talk about it?"

Kanda sighed, pulling back from the Moyashi. It wasn't like this was the first time something like this happened. It was only the third in a year. The first time the Moyashi walked in on him tearing up, (he refused to call it crying, as it made it less manly), he wiped up his tears and started throwing insults at him. But in the end, it ended up with the Moyashi wrapping his arms around him in comfort… And Kanda not pushing the hands away.

The Moyashi wiped the tears off of his face, knowing that Kanda wasn't going to do that any time soon. He stood up, pulling Kanda up with him, and proceeded to the bed in the corner of the room, opposite of the Golden Trio.

Allen made Kanda sit down, and then proceeded to the bathroom, throwing a glance at the Trio in the corner. He knew they were there, knew they were there the entire time.

At his glance, the trio looked at each other in confusion, wondering how the boy knew they were there. Harry guessed that Allen wanted them to see something, otherwise he would've told Kanda they had company.

So Harry just sat and waited.

Allen came back with a wash cloth, soaked in water. He sat down beside Kanda and took his hand, wiping off the blood coating it. Once it was clean, he set the washcloth on the nightstand, turning to his comrade.

"What memory was it this time?" he asked, flicking a glance at the corner of the room when Kanda wasn't looking. He wanted them to see this, knowing that they weren't going to get any other information out of him.

Kanda sighed, staring at the wall in front of him. "When I killed Alma."

Allen lifted his hand, putting it on the samurai's shoulder in comfort, letting him get it out. "Who's Alma, Kanda?"

"You know my curse?" Allen nodded. "I'm a Second Exorcist, and so is Alma."

"What's a Second Exorcist?"

"We're…" Kanda sighed, knowing he had to tell him sooner or later. "We're apostles of Innocence."

Allen sucked in a sharp breath at his friend's admission. What? "Wouldn't that kill you?"

Kanda started laughing. But it wasn't the humorous laugh he seemed incapable of making. It was hysterical and full of pain. It almost hurt to listen to it. But that was all Kanda seemed to do, laugh and laugh and laugh. When he stopped, it was abruptly, not slowly like humorous laughs ended.

"I can't die, remember?" Kanda deadpanned.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot, sorry."

"Don't be sorry, baka. Anyway, I'm an apostle of Innocence. They would take us to these rooms, filled with Innocence, and they'd make us try to synchronize with it."

Allen stood up, eyes wide at what Kanda said. "Kanda…"

"Funny, isn't it?" Kanda said, eyes still not leaving the wall. "It's so funny. Ha, the pain was incredible." Kanda laughed a little, almost a giggle. He would never admit to it, and Allen would never accuse him of doing so.

"It made me go mad." Kanda's blunt sentence forced Allen to sit down, eyes wide as he stared at Kanda. This was so unlike him. The laughing, the sorrow in each sentence. He didn't like it, in fact, he hated it. "Every time we failed to synchronize, they would whip us and tell us to do it again, lifting our arms and placing them onto the Innocence one more time. Over and over they made us do it, hours, days, weeks flying by, until we were finally able to become one with it."

Allen shook his head, his hands coming up to grab his hair. The Golden Trio were confused at the smaller man's actions, but they guessed it must've been extremely bad by the way he acted.

"You know, I don't have parents," came Kanda's next words. Allen lifted his head, confused. What was he going on about now? "Parents never came with the job description. They used us like tools, never really took care of us. They made us. We're not human."

Kanda sighed and turned his head up, letting his hair fall down his back. "I've never had parents. I wasn't born from a mother's womb. I didn't know what love was. I-I still don't… Tell me, Aren," Kanda said, turning his gaze to the boy in front of him, his accent making the 'l's sound like an 'r' in his name. "What is love?"

Hermione looked like she was about to cry. She would've let a sob out if it weren't for the fist she stuffed into her mouth. Harry and Ron were watching the scene with wide eyes, Ron wiping his every now and then to make sure there weren't any tears.

"Because I've never heard of it until I met the Order. They-they kept telling the others how much they loved each other. Lenalee kept telling Komui how much she loved him. But I've never known it. What is it?"

"I-I can't explain it, Kanda," Allen replied, still not moving from his place on the ground. "No one can explain it. But you'll know it when it comes."

"Ha!" Kanda's sudden exclamation made Allen and the Trio jump. "That's funny. Anyway, since I didn't have parents, and neither did Alma," at his name, Kanda's face screwed up in sorrow, "We stuck together."

"He was infuriating," Kanda continued, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Always following me around, fighting all the time. But he was always right by my side. Always."

At his last word, Kanda seemed to come to his senses. He stared at Allen in horror, not believing what he just said to him. He closed his eyes and put his hands to his head, shaking. "Never tell… Never tell anyone what I just told you. If you do, I'll erase you from this world. Do you _hear me_?" Kanda screamed, his hands fisted in his hair as he curled in on himself.

Allen, knowing that Kanda was being torn apart from the inside, stood up and walked towards his friend. When he came close, Kanda's fist shot out. But Allen was expecting this, so he blocked the hit and walked closer, intending to comfort him. But Kanda shot up from his spot, lifting his hand toward Mugen, and called out to it.

Mugen responded immediately, flying past Allen and into his hand. The Trio stared at what happened next, the display of power Kanda possessed.

When Mugen touched his hand, Kanda's hair and clothes _whooshed_ up, making him look like an avenging angel. As they watched, the air crackled around them like static, objects flying back from the two.

Allen activated Crown Clown, knowing that a fight was about to happen. But doing that must've triggered some other, unknown memory of Kanda's, as his eyes got a distant look to them, his face clouding in anger.

"Kanda!" Allen yelled, standing in a defense stance. "_KANDA! Listen to me!_ _You're safe! Alma isn't happening now! WAKE UP!"_

All of a sudden, the power coursing through the room stopped. Kanda's hair turned back to its original color—since when was it light purple?—and it all froze. The wind stopped, the electricity in the air stopped, and everything turned back to normal.

The Trio looked at each other, and then at the scene. Kanda had fallen to his knees, his sword hanging from his hand, his hair out of its ponytail. It was now straight and black, silky. Not spiky and light purple from his display of power.

And judging by the way he was breathing, that wasn't his most powerful. They were in awe. They didn't know someone would be stronger than Dumbledore. No one was. Voldemort feared Dumbledore. That's how powerful he was. But this—this display of power was unbelievable, yet it was, because they've just seen it.

Allen stared at Kanda. Just like the Trio, he couldn't believe such power. He knew Kanda was strong, knew that he could beat him in a heart beat, but he didn't know about all of that. And knowing that Kanda was an apostle of Innocence didn't make it any better.

The door opened in a flurry, most of the Order standing there with Dumbledore and Lavi in the front. Lavi rushed over to Kanda's side, turning his head to him. Kanda's eyes were flat, disconnected.

"He can't see or hear anything right now," he said, turning Kanda's head this way and that. "He's too caught up in his memories."

Lavi looked at Allen warily, recognizing Crown Clown almost immediately. Allen deactivated his Innocence, his arm reverting back to normal, Crown Clown vanishing in the blink of an eye. He was still staring at Kanda.

"He showed you, didn't he?" Lavi asked in the silence. Allen didn't acknowledge him, and Lavi stood, pushing Allen's shoulders in anger. "He showed you his power, didn't he? _Didn't he?_"

Allen shook off Lavi's hands, glaring at him. "Yes! Yes, okay? He showed me his goddamn power!"

Harry lifted his invisibility cloak, still staring at Kanda as well. His sudden appearance in the room shook the Order members. "Potter, what are you doing here?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"I-I was here the whole time," he said emotionlessly. "I was here the whole time…"

**And how was that, my readers? Okay, I know some of you are probably angry at me for making Kanda OOC, but it was necessary! And don't you just love the effect on the story? :D I know I do. Just keep bearing with me! This is supposed to happen. It's not just my crazy imagination going haywire. Do you like it, hate it? Review and tell me what you think was bad or good. That way I can improve! If someone doesn't like what they read, then they can tell me what they didn't like and I can fix it! **

**Okay, enough with that. Tell me your thoughts in a review! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Explanations

Lavi looked back at Harry, his face making him look like a cat that just got out of a bathtub full of water. "You saw everything?" he asked in a hoarse whisper, looking at Allen, then Kanda, and then back to Harry like he was choosing only one flavor of ice-cream to eat because he could only afford one. Of course this wasn't the case, because he was angry and weary and wary and shocked.

Harry nodded at the red-head. Lavi shook to the bone, closing his eyes in his moment of fatigue and shock. No-one, _no-one_ was supposed to know Kanda's true power except for him, because when they did, they tried to get him to disclose all of the details and try to recruit him (read: use him) for their purposes. And Lavi was supposed to stop that from happening. That was part of the reason he was hired by Kanda. **(A/N: this is just another one of my tweaks, don't pay any attention!)**

"Listen to me," he said sagely. "Do not tell _anyone_ what you saw just now. I'm begging you. If word of this got around, who cares if our enemy is in the past! If word of this got around, _everyone_ will be our enemy. Do you _understand?_"

Lavi was now standing in front of Harry, desperation in his voice as he gripped the younger boy's shoulders. He looked like a warrior asking for one last favor before he died. Harry nodded mutely, his eyes wide as he stared at the older man.

Lavi then turned from Harry to grip Allen's shoulders in the same manner, even more desperate. "Yes, Lavi, I understand," Allen admonished him, completely serious.

Only then did Lavi relax. He turned to look at the wizards. "Do not ask Harry for information on what happened. If they do, Harry, don't tell them. If you do, this will get you killed. Not by my hands, but by…" he trailed off, looking at Allen. "But by our enemies. I'm not telling you how, only that they have their ways. Not only that, but they will take our comrade away from us and use him as an advantage in the war."

"But he wouldn't allow them to use him," Harry countered, eyebrows furrowed.

"No, that's true. Kanda's pride wouldn't let him. He'd rather die. But they'd brainwash him, and then he wouldn't be able to think. Or maybe he would, but his pride wouldn't let him betray the side they brainwashed him to be on. Either way, you saw what he can do," Lavi added, still looking grave. "By the way he's looking, he wasn't even past the first stage. Trust me, if he's angered enough, it could get ten times worse then what you just saw, judging by the state of the room." He sighed and swiped his hand around, motioning to the destroyed room and ignoring the astounded looks on their faces. "I still can't stress enough to you how dangerous it is you know this. Even if you are alone, I don't want you to talk about it. They have ears everywhere."

Allen had to sit down. When he did, it brought eyes to him, almost making him squirm in discomfort. "What?" he asked.

They looked away.

"Can I have everyone except Harry and Allen leave this room?" Lavi asked. They looked reluctant, but Dumbledore shooed them away. "And Dumbledore should stay, too, because you need to hear this," Lavi added, making the man turn away from the group. He looked to Lupin, who nodded.

When the door was closed all the way, Lavi turned toward the corner, walked up to it, and grabbed the cloak covering the other two who decided to spy on Kanda. When he pulled it off, they both looked sheepish, Harry and Dumbledore surprised, and Allen expectant.

"I hope you know that those warnings go to you two, too," Lavi stressed, glaring down at them. "I'm pretty mad at you three for spying on one of our best warriors in the first place, but also not surprised. I could smell curiousness on you the moment I got here. Made sure to keep my eye on you."

Ron snickered, but the moment Lavi looked at him, he shut up. Lavi guessed it was because of his only one good eye. The pun. Ha, it was _so_ funny…

"I must apologize, Mr. Bookman," Dumbledore said, disappointment ringing clear in his voice. "I will make sure to keep my eyes on them, as well. I am very disappointed in you three, for snooping around Mister Kanda's room and spying on him."

The three hung their heads. "We understand, Professor Dumbledore. We won't do it again," they said in unison, making Lavi wonder how many times they got caught sneaking around.

"Professor, I hope you recognize how dire this situation is," Lavi continued, his eye locking on his.

"I do, Mr. Bookman. Children, do not take his warning lightly. Have I gotten your word that you will abide by it?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore," they said in harmony again, almost like three different people playing the same piano song, but on different keys. It was quite amusing to Lavi, but he refused to let that amusement show on his face.

"Now that we have this out of the way, Allen," he turned to said boy across the room, "Can you tell me the events leading up to Kanda's . . . display of power?"

"Jeez Lavi, you sound like some detective," Allen muttered. When he saw the flames of Lavi's dark aura surrounding said figure, he gulped and continued anyways. "Um, well, this would be a little easier if they were out of the room…"

"Fine, Harry, since you know the entire thing, why don't you tell me?" Lavi asked expectantly, ignoring Allen's disagreements.

"Oh, um. Well, Ron, Hermione and I came in about a couple hours ago," he started. "We were watching him just clean his sword. Honestly, if he was going to do anything else, we were going to leave. All we wanted to do was get a good idea on who he was."

Harry almost looked adamant on saying anything else, but after a moment of silent expectation from the other occupants (excluding Kanda, of course) he went on. "Then, when we were watching, he said something like, "Idiot Alma," or somethin' like that, and he cut himself on the sword. He-he started crying, is my guess. Well, I saw the tears, but when he said that, I'm guessing that he started crying, and then he cut himself—"

"Harry, why don't I tell it?" Hermione asked gently, knowing he didn't like the attention.

And then she explained in rapt detail how the situation went, and her views on it. When she was done, Lavi looked at her in appraisal. "Hm, you are an intelligent witch. I'd like to get your views on some things in the wizarding world some time, is that okay?"

"Yes that's fine," she agreed, smiling at him. She failed to notice the way Ron glowered a bit, but Lavi didn't. He looked between the two, and told himself to go and talk to Ron before dinner that day to see what he could do to get him started on getting with her.

"Well, since it is inevitable that you know about this, I would still like you to keep quiet. Thank you for your information and thoughts on the matter, Ms. Granger," Lavi said. "Mr. Weasley, I would like to talk to you before dinner, Mr. Potter, please be wary of Kanda from now on. He will be quite on edge, and I don't want you to anger him. And Allen, don't mention this to him. The only time you talk about it is if he brings it up, understand?"

Allen rolled his eyes. "Of course, mister Bookman, sir."

Lavi flashed him a grin. "Okay, now that we have all of this settled, Allen, would you mind taking everyone out so I can talk to Kanda?"  
Allen glanced toward his comrade, whom was still staring at the wall, eyes blank, and nodded. Kanda looked like a doll. Perhaps it was good for Lavi to talk to him, get him worked out. "Sure. And later after dinner, would you like to spar with me, Lavi?"  
"Okie-Dokie!" Lavi replied, his childish nature coming out once more. It almost unnerved Allen, but he was used to it. He couldn't really say so for the wizards, who were staring at him with shaken expressions. He laughed and grabbed Harry and Ron's arms, dragging them out of the door with Dumbledore and Hermione following.

Really, he just didn't want to think about what Lavi and Kanda were talking about. He didn't want to think about what just happened, what it all meant, and what the future might hold because of the strange events.

.

.

Kanda didn't come down for dinner that night, and Lavi reassured everyone at the table that the said irritable swordsman was still sorting things out with himself. By the concerned and worried glances he kept sending the stairs, though, Harry wasn't so sure Kanda was doing okay. But he let it slide, knowing Allen and Lavi knew how to handle these situations.

Dumbledore had left that evening, along with Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley, McGonagall, Snape, and Sirius, Harry's godfather. All that were left in the Burrow were the Weasley's, Hermione, and the Exorcists. It was still slightly crowded, but it was easier to deal with when there weren't as many people around.

Harry sighed into his food, shoveling more potatoes into his mouth when Mrs. Weasley was looking his way. He was tired and he wanted to see if Kanda was okay. As much as he was dreading what was to come, Kanda was still his comrade and he didn't want the angry Japanese man to be hurt, emotional or otherwise.

As if reading his thoughts, Allen smiled at him reassuringly, shoveling more of his fifteenth helping into his mouth. It's true. Allen was on his fifteenth helping. Harry counted…

When he first saw Allen's eating habits, Harry and the others blanched and watched with slight fascination and awe, maybe a little disgust. But having spent three meals with him, he sorta got used to the amount he ate.

It wasn't like he ate like a pig. Allen ate with a fluidity and grace that left almost everyone stumped. It was just the amount he ate, the size of the plates stacked high on top of each other, the way they disappeared _so fast_. It was amazing.

After dinner, Harry and his two best friends walked up the stairs to the room Ron and he were sharing. On the way there, they couldn't help but peak inside Kanda's, only to see him curled up on his bed with a blanket covering him, his hair splayed about the pillow. Hermione blushed at seeing the samurai so familiarly, while Ron and Harry glanced at each other worriedly.

The man's face was facing them, and they could see how it wasn't relaxed how faces in sleep looked, but looked like he was suffering from a great wound that wouldn't allow him to sleep well. That was probably the case, but it wasn't a wound they could see. It was on the inside.

Harry wondered what kind of past the man must've had for him to act like that. Surely it was much worse then Harry's, who hadn't had parents either, but instead a living hell hole for family. It was guaranteed worse then the Dursley's, knowing the other was whipped like a slave, and knowing that, it made Harry more curious by the second. Just who is this man sleeping inside that room? And what are the secrets he's keeping hidden?

Harry meant to ask Allen what 'artificial', 'Innocence', and 'Second Exorcist' were and what they meant as soon as they were alone. And luck seemed to be on his side, as a voice that sounded distinctly familiar asked, "Sad, isn't it?"

Harry and his two best friends spun to see Allen leaning against the railing behind them, startled. Hermione put a hand to her chest, and Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Harry stared at Allen, then behind him at Kanda, wondering not for the first time that night what the relationship was between the two.

"I promise to answer all of your questions as best as I can," Allen continued, walking up the stairs once more. Harry took this as a silent command to follow, so he motioned for his friends to do the same. They all walked up to Allen's room, said person shutting the door and locking it firmly behind them.

"Can you cast a . . . spell . . . to make sure no-one can hear us?" he asked the threesome.

"Sorry, Allen, but we're not of age yet. We can't cast magic until we're seventeen," Hermione apologized.

"Ah, it's no problem. I'm just trying to be safe, is all." He sat down on the bed, motioning to the two chairs in front of him. Harry sat beside him on the mattress. Allen smiled at him. "So, questions?"

Harry all but exploded on him. "What's Innocence? What about a Second Exorcist? And what's going on between you and Kanda? What's an Akuma? I've heard the word a couple of times, but I don't know what it is. Oh! And why do you call Lavi 'Mr. Bookman'?"

Allen held a porcelain hand up to stop his ministrations. "Okay, one question at a time!" he laughed, his bright, molten silver eyes lighting up behind his dreary demeanor. "Alright, first, let me explain what Innocence and Akuma are, hm?"

**(Here's the explanation, blah blah blah! Skip skip skip. I'm too lazy, and I'm guessing that a lot of people don't like reading about these explanations all of the time, hm?)**

When Allen was done with all of the most important questions, the others all stared at him. "Wait," Hermione said slowly. "So, you guys are here to protect Harry and the school from these akuma?"

Allen nodded at her solemnly. She would've questioned further, but the look on his face said everything. Everything he told them was true. Hermione hummed to herself in thought, eyes distant as she did.

"Okay. Any more questions?" Allen asked in the sudden silence, broken by the occasional hum or click of Hermione's tongue.

"Why does Kanda need to protect me?" Harry asked immediately. That was one of the most pressing questions that have been rallying around in his head.

"Actually, I'm not too sure on that one either. I'm not even sure Kanda knows that. But I think Lavi does, I'm just not too sure he would tell us. My guess is that it has something to do with the Millennium Earl and Voldemort teaming up," Allen added as an after thought. One that almost sent Harry into a panic attack.

"What?" he almost squeaked. "That's bad. That's really, really bad." He continued his 'bad' mutterings, making Allen and Ron stare at him. Hermione was still lost in thought.

"Um, Harry mate?" Ron asked hesitantly.

"Is he always like this?" Allen asked Ron, concerned for the boy's well being.

"No, not at all," was Ron's reply. "Harry mate? Are you doing okay?"

"No!" Harry suddenly shouted, making all three of them jump in surprise. "I'm not okay! Don't you get it Ron? This is very, very bad! If Voldemort and the Earl team up, this could mean the end of the world as we know it! And how are we supposed to stop them if magic has no effect on the akuma? Hm? Have you thought about that?"

"Harry, calm down," Allen added. When said boy refused to do so, Allen reached over and slapped him across the face, a serious expression on.

"Thanks for that," Harry muttered, rubbing his cheek. He seemed calm enough to continue, so without further ado, Allen did so.

"Alright, now that we discussed some of the more pressing matters, any more questions before I check up on Kanda and get some sleep? We all have a pretty big day tomorrow, not to mention Kanda's gonna be all cranky."

"Actually," Hermione said suddenly, making Ron jump because he forgot she was there. "What is your relationship with Kanda? You two seem very, very close."

Allen blushed a bit at the admittance. "Um, we're always sent on missions together, and the circumstances back in our time call for us to usually spend twenty-for-seven together, so I guess it is safe to say we are close. As you've probably seen, I was there when Kanda wasn't doing too well, and he's been there when I've had some of my break downs. It's funny though, the way he comforts me. He usually beats the crap outta me and then throws insults at me." Allen laughed. "But it works."

Hermione nodded, though she was trying to fight back the smile from escaping her lips. Her inner fangirl was coming out, and she tried to repress it. _No, 'Mione. Now's not the time to stress on your evil intentions. Just focus on the matter at hand._

Harry and Ron stared at Allen, not sure what to say to that. "Seems like you two are… Um…" Ron started, trailing off. When Allen didn't get it, he coughed in his hand, bringing his two forefingers together and moving them in a very suggesting way. When Allen caught on, he turned beet red and stuttered out refusals, eyes wide in mortification.

Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head, frowning at him. "Really Ron? Are you that dense? Please Allen, excuse my friend. He doesn't seem to know when to keep his wits about him."

"Ah, it's, uh, it's okay. I guess." Allen ran his fingers through his hair, his face still as red as an apple. Ron reminded him of Lavi. Always assuming things without the facts. Actually, Hermione reminded him more of Lavi then Ron. Ron just reminded Allen of the gross, perverted part of him. "I-If we're done here, I'd like to go and get some sleep…"

With that, Allen got up and left, leaving Hermione to scold Ron and Harry about 'scaring him off'.

Making his way down the stairs to his room, Allen peaked his head into Kanda's room, his cheeks reddening when he saw the older male with his hair spread out on the pillow, asleep, and then left, closing the door silently. Plopping down on the bed in his own temporary room, Allen sighed and closed his eyes, ready to let the blackness of sleep entangle him in a world of dreams.

When he opened his eyes to dark cobalt ones looking back at him, Allen sighed mentally. So much for peaceful dreaming…

.

.

**Okay guys, so how was that? I'm sorry it was a filler, but I had to get some stuff laid out on the table before ya'll ate. (If you caught onto that metaphor, I applaud you!) Anyways, feed my plot bunny reviews! They're its favorite! And the reason why I like reviews so much, is because they tell me what the person liked in my story! You know, events and such, like in this chapter. *wink wink* Yep, especially in this chapter. **

**R&R?**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Arrival

"What do you want, Moyashi?" Kanda asked dully, sitting up in his temporary bed, his hair tangled from sleep.

Allen was poking his head through the door, a concerned expression on his face. It quickly turned to anger. "It's Allen, BaKanda! Get it right!" Then his face morphed into a smile. "I'm glad to see you're awake and as grumpy as ever!"

Kanda grunted, agitated at the younger man. "Just tell me what you want or get the hell outta my room or I'll skewer you into the wall with Mugen."

"Ah, sorry Kanda. I just came in to tell you we'll be leaving for Hogwarts today," Allen explained, making Kanda pause in getting fully out of bed.

"What?" the older man questioned. "Don't we leave in a week? Huh, you're more stupid than I though, Moyashi."  
"It's ALLEN! Can't you get it through your simple minded skull? And we're leaving today. You've been out for a week, Kanda," Allen added, softer this time.

"What?"  
"I said—"

"I know what you said, baka," Kanda growled. He stood up, wincing slightly. He swore under his breath. His muscles haven't healed completely. Or maybe Moyashi was right. Did he really sleep for a whole week? Why the hell would he do that? "What the hell happened that I had to sleep for a whole week?"

Allen blanched slightly under the scrutinizing gaze. "You… You don't remember?"  
"Remember what, baka Moyashi," Kanda growled, hand twitching for Mugen that was a foot away from him.

"Oh, uh, nothing, nothing. Lavi says to not strain yourself too hard, and, uh, gottogo! Bye!"

Kanda stared at the empty doorway where Allen was not two seconds ago. What the hell was that all about?  
.

.

Hermione was just walking down the hallway when she noticed Kanda's door was open. _Oh! Maybe he's awake!_

Poking her head around the corner, she had to stop a nosebleed from what she saw.

Kanda was standing with his left side towards her, his shirt off. The way his muscles rippled when he was putting on some gauze around his chest hypnotized her, her eyes following their every move. His long, glossy black hair was loose and cascading down his back, ending in the middle of it, almost a foot longer than her mousy brown hair.

And all she was doing was setting herself up for failure. She knew Kanda was gay for Allen—just the way he acted around the silverette proved it! But she couldn't stop staring at the gorgeous, flawless tan skin; the lean, toned body; the long, silky black hair; his high cheekbones and slightly full lips.

And his eyes, oh, his eyes.

They were like dark onyx stones set in the middle of big, sparkling sapphire, burning with a coldness that was sharp to even look at. They were truly magnificent and hypnotizing that Hermione almost lost herself in them every time she looked at him.

Backing away from the door to stop the flow of blood from her nose, Hermione sighed quietly. How come all the good ones were taken, gay, or married? Stupid relationship drama, how she detested it…

.

.

Kanda heard something by the door, but after a moment of complete silence, he shrugged and continued dressing, the binding of gauze around his chest complete. Remembering the incident with his flower apparently a week before, he knew why his muscles were stiff.

His damn healing ability was slowing down.

And damn it, he'd really have to be careful in the future, or this whole thing will blow up in his face.

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door, and Kanda turned to see Lavi leaning against the frame. "Hey boss, how are you?"

"Tch, baka Usagi, I'm fine. What does it look like?"

"Hey, hey, I was just asking if you were okay. Allen tells me you don't have any memories of what rendered you unconscious, am I right?" Lavi asked, stepping farther into the room, scrutinizing the slightly older man.

Kanda just 'tch'ed and finished putting on his jacket, the silver cross glinting in the light of the room. Lavi's eye twitched.

"So, boss, do you want to know what happened?" he asked, plopping himself down on the bed. Kanda glared at him. The answer was obvious. "It was about your memories of Alma."

Kanda's eyes widened. Lavi watched as Kanda was reminded of the memories once more. "Oi! Boss!"

Kanda blinked, turning his gaze to the usagi. "What?" he growled.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to go on a rampage again," Lavi explained.

"A rampage?"

"Ah, about that," Lavi scratched the back of his head, "You used your power up to level one, almost destroying the room you were staying in."

Kanda sighed and sat down, wincing a little as his muscles strained again. Lavi didn't fail to notice. If he didn't, then why should he call himself a Bookman successor?

"Boss…?" Lavi asked slowly. "Is your…"

Kanda sighed. "Yeah."

Lavi whistled slowly. "Damn, that sucks. Are you sure it's only five years?"

"No. Another petal fell while I was asleep."

Lavi's fists clenched. "The pattern is all messed up. Boss, if another petal falls, you'll be out of commission for a while—"

"Shut up!" Kanda snarled, grabbing Mugen and standing up. "You know very well why I fight, so don't go saying stupid things like that again! Got it, baka?"

Lavi shut his mouth. Then he sighed. If Kanda had his mind set on something, there was no changing it. "Got it, boss."

"Good." And with that, Kanda stalked out of the room, glaring at his idiot charge when he bumped into him. "Watch it."

Harry stared after Kanda, shocked at the last of the conversation he heard. Kanda was Lavi's boss? And what were they talking about?

"Oh, hi Harry!"

Harry started, turning to face the said red-head. He relaxed. "Oh, hey Lavi. What's gotten his trousers in a bunch, hm?"

Lavi laughed nervously. "Oh, nothing. He's always like that. I'm just glad to see him up and about."

"Yeah, me too. I can't wait to see Allen's face when he finds out Kanda is up," Harry laughed, walking down the stairs with the redhead.

"Something tells me he already knows the samurai is up," Lavi muttered, pointing to a commotion down the stairs Harry failed to notice.

Allen and Kanda were arguing loudly, Kanda with his sword on Allen's throat and Allen's hand yanking on Kanda's long hair. He sighed. Great, he'd have to deal with this a whole school year. And not to mention Kanda following him everywhere he went. Would he get anything done with him around?

.

.

They walked through the King's Cross in a hurry, Kanda beside Harry, Lavi in front of the group and Allen in the back, trying to ignore the weird stares they got. The three Exorcists were acting completely normal, almost like they were used to this. And Harry bet they were.

Earlier they had a pause while the Exorcists stared at the cars and asked what they were and how they worked, but other than that, the walk was pretty uneventful.

Molly was about to tell the kids to go through the barrier when Allen stepped forward a placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry Mrs. Weasley, but I have a job to do, and I'm going to do it right."

"Oh, of course, dear. I almost forgot you were here on a job, silly me," Molly said, laughing a little at her mistake.

"It's no problem. Alright, Lavi, you go first to make sure the coast is clear. When he comes back, Harry, you go with Kanda and find a spot. I'll send the entire group in first before I go in. Get to it!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Lavi said jokingly, doing a two-finger solute. He grinned and ran through the barrier. A few moments minutes later, he came back out, smiling. "Coast is clear. After you, Yu-chan!"

"Damn baka Usagi! Don't call me by my first name or I'll skewer you into the wall!" Kanda warned, grabbing Harry's arm and thrusting him forward.

Harry stumbled, glaring at the man before stating haughtily, "I can walk on my own, thank you."

Kanda grunted, but let go, shoving him forward into the barrier. Harry flailed through, about to fall flat on his face if it weren't for the hand on his collar. Harry turned to thank Kanda, but the man cut him off before he could say anything.

Kanda was standing perfectly still with his eyes closed, an expression of complete and utter peace and concentration on his face that Harry didn't want to say anything. When Kanda snapped his eyes open, he was startled when he was shoved down, a curse flying over his head where his back was not two seconds prior.

Kanda stood and marched forward, grabbing the wizard that tried such a thing. Harry smirked at him. "Trying to hex me, eh Malfoy?"

Draco glared at him. "Who's this, _Potta_? A knew puppy to follow you around everywhere?"  
He squeaked when Kanda lifted him by his hair to meet his face. "Say that again," Kanda said calmly, like a feather covered sword, ready to strike at any given moment. Draco whimpered, shrinking back from him while a hand was on the roots of his hair.

"S-Sorry," the little boy whispered.

Kanda 'tch'ed in disgust. "Stupid little weasel. Didn't your _mummy_ ever tell you it was dishonorable to strike your opponent when their back was turned? Hell, I wouldn't have interfered if you would've come up to his face and tried. Hell, it would've been funny!"

Kanda shoved past him, grabbing Harry's arm again and starting toward the train, ignoring all the weird and startled looks that gazed his way. "You'll regret this!" Malfoy yelled behind him. "I'll tell my father!"

"I don't give a damn who your father is. He could be the frickin' Master of the Universe and I wouldn't give a shit. You're just lucky I didn't cut you into pieces," Kanda added, his hand coming up to the hilt of his sword that was on his back. He smirked when the weasel ran, the blood drained from his face. "Baka itachi," Kanda grumbled under his breath, letting go of the brat's arm.

"What does 'baka ee-ta-tchee' mean?" Harry asked, stumbling over the word while he massaged his arm.

"It's baka itachi. It means 'idiot weasel' in Japanese," Kanda grunted, opening the first empty compartment they found and shoving Harry inside it. Harry plopped down on one of the seats, staring up at the samurai as he just stood in front of the glass door.

"Aren't you going to sit?" Harry asked.

"I'm on duty," Kanda said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world and it explained everything.

"But you can still sit down…"

Kanda stared at him for a moment before something clicked in his head. "God, this is what our country has turned to? What a pathetic waste."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, generally confused.

"In the past, when an Exorcist is on guard duty, he or she doesn't sit on the job. It's considered disrespectful and dishonorable," Kanda said bluntly.

"Oh," Harry deadpanned, deciding to drop it for now. He couldn't change Kanda's mind and he knew that.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Kanda was in front of him, Mugen pointed at the door in an instant. Ron jumped back, frightened. Kanda sighed; almost disappointed that it wasn't an enemy. It would be far more entertaining then scaring the wits out of teenagers.

Lavi was with Ron, as was Hermione and Allen. The smarter redhead seemed to sigh as he grabbed the handle and pulled it open. "Seriously, Yu-chan, scare the poor kiddies will you? Jeez…" he said offhandedly, ignoring the sword pointed to his throat. "Can you move so I can sit down, please?"

Kanda glowered at the Usagi. "You might want to check who you're talking to."

"Sorry, boss," Lavi muttered.

"Boss?" Hermione questioned, her curiosity spiked once again.

Lavi smiled at her. "Sorry, official business here. C'mon boss! Let us get through!"

"Tch, fine baka usagi," the Japanese man spat, moving away for them to get in. When they were inside, Kanda returned to his spot by the door, Allen plopping down beside him on the chair, across from Harry. Lavi sat to his left, Hermione next to Harry and Ron next to Lavi.

"Ha, poor Yu-chan, having to stand," Lavi teased.

"You don't have to stand, you know," Hermione suggested, sweeping her arm next to herself. She flushed a little that she was suggesting he sit next to her.

"Yes, he does," Allen said, confused.

"What? Why does he have to stand?" Ron asked curiosity evident in his voice.

"Because he's on duty…" Allen said slowly. "Wait, you don't stand out of respect for your Masters and elders when you're on duty in the future? What kind of county has this gone to?!"

Lavi started recording everything that was happening. He needed all the information he could get about the future for records.

"What's wrong with our country?" Harry asked.

"What's wrong? You don't have any respect or honor, that's what," Kanda spat. "Outside the train I caught a kid trying to injure the idiot here behind his back. You don't stand up when on duty for your seniors and mentors. What else don't you do?"

Hermione looked disconcerted. Tipping her head to the side, she stared at the samurai in question. "What kid?" was the only thing she asked.

"Malfoy," Harry answered in question, his voice spitting out the name like Ron hacking up slugs.

Hermione gasped. "Oh, Harry, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"The baka itachi didn't get a chance," Harry replied, using the Japanese words for 'idiot/stupid weasel'.

Lavi snorted and Allen hid his mirth behind his hand. Ron and Hermione blinked. "Since when do you speak Japanese?" Lavi asked, a grin cracking his features.

"I don't. Kanda told me the real meaning," Harry explained, his smile wavering in front of an angry glare sent his way.

"Is that right?" Allen asked, smirking at the brooding man. "I must say, he didn't tell me what Moyashi meant until I was his comrade for more than a year. He must really like you."  
"Tch, baka Moyashi. Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Kanda growled, throwing a glare at the silverette.

"It's ALLEN, BaKanda!" Allen yelled, his fist coming out. Kanda blocked it with ease. "Won't you get it right, or is your brain too small to know my real name?"

"So you admit this is a name?" Kanda replied, coming back with equal force. The Trio and Lavi stared as this went on for a couple minutes, Lavi stepping in when it started to get violent.

"Okay, enough of that. Let's just get ready to leave the train, we only have twenty minutes until we get there."

Hermione jumped up, alarmed. "It's time to get into our robes!"

Harry sighed.


End file.
